Why This Multi-Unit Detail Garage Franchisee Continues to See Double-Digit Sales Growth

Detail Garage, the retail destination for car care enthusiasts, passionate car owners and detailing professionals, has grown to include 80-plus locations across the country by combining an automotive lifestyle brand, globally recognized retail products and industry-leading innovations. As the brand gears up to reach 100 open units by the end of 2022, franchise partners such as  Sean Moodley — who owns three locations in Florida — have played an integral role in the brand’s success. 

Moodley, an engineer by trade, came to the U.S. from South Africa with his family five years ago to open an engineering company. 

“We owned an engineering company in South Africa,” he said. “We wanted to do the same here, but we changed our focus and ended up opening a racecar company, building engines and exporting them to South Africa. As we started detailing our cars, we reached out to the Detail Garage location in Ft. Lauderdale for their services.”

As someone who has been in business for over two decades, Moodley says he knows a strong business when he sees one. While he had looked at franchise concepts in the past, nothing ever clicked. When Moodley found an opportunity to purchase one of the nearby Detail Garage locations, he was intrigued. 

“We went up to California and attended a training course for new franchise owners — we were immediately impressed by the way Detail Garage operates and the assistance it offers for franchisees,” said Moodley. “We decided at that moment we were going to get into the Detail Garage franchise. We purchased the West Palm Beach store in 2020, and since then have been able to leverage the Detail Garage model and continue to grow.” 

When it comes to the Detail Garage business model, Moodley says one of the key factors is the infrastructure and support the team provides to franchisees. 

“They help you set up everything,” he said. “When purchasing an existing store, they tell you what processes you should keep as well as what the market requires. That information is invaluable to a franchisee. They have a platform built-in, and the social media marketing is also phenomenal. They know the demographics in the area and can help you drum up awareness for the store.”

When it comes to marketing, social media is also a major differentiator for Detail Garage. The Detail Garage corporate team features several experts who currently run the most successful automobile channel on YouTube, Chemical Guys, which has 721,000 subscribers, as well as a verified Instagram account, @detailgarage, with 423,000 followers. Detail Garage franchisees like Moodley have the opportunity to tap into this impressive, nationally recognized social media presence and use it to grow their local businesses.

Since purchasing his first store in 2020, Moodley says he has continued to see significant growth, despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. In general, the automotive industry has proven to be uniquely resilient against the pandemic, and Detail Garage stands out in the segment as a low-cost business model with a robust consumer offering, exceptional support and a massive social media presence. 

“In my experience, we’ve seen a lot of growth in the detailing and car wash industry,” said Moodley. “More people want a car wash by hand, and they are taking better care of their investments. Despite the pandemic, the business has really grown — we’ve seen double-digit growth across our stores.”

Chad Zani, Director of Business Development for Detail Garage, says Moodley is a prime example of how qualified and passionate franchisees can leverage the business model to find success. 

“Our success is a result of both our experience and the way we do business, joined together with the incredible Detail Garage platforms and systems,” said Moodley. “There is a plan that Detail Garage lays out for you, and if you follow it, you are very likely to succeed.”

For more information, visit: https://www.detailgarage.com